In a blog post responding to my friend Stephen Smoot’s piece, The Imperative for a Historical Book of Mormon, Ryan Thomas opened with the following (emphasis added):
Over the weekend I became aware of a piece written by Stephen Smoot at the Interpreter that reminded me the Book of Mormon Wars are unfortunately alive and well in some quarters. Uncompromisingly, Smoot declares BoM historicity to be an all or nothing affair and identifies those who promote an inspired fiction theory as not only intellectually compromised but faithless to boot. In my opinion, this kind of rhetoric does a real disservice to the Mormon community, since instead of trying to contribute to our understanding of the BoM as a literary, historical, and even religious text, the focus changes to polemical posturing and the drawing of ideological lines. As a result, Latter-day Saints who have honestly come to the conclusion that the BoM is a product of the 19th century and yet value aspects of their Mormon identity and community are stigmatized and made to feel unwelcome, while more conservative and apologetic minded members are encouraged to take a more aggressive and dogmatic stance.
Such rhetoric is not Christlike nor helpful.
It is common for liberals and non-believers to claim Christ would never engage in such “all-or-nothing” “rhetoric” as well as pathetically claim Jesus Christ for their side; this is, what one of my professors in theology, labelled the “sugary Jesus.” In reality, Jesus said the following:
Therefore when thou does thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward . . . And when thou prayest, though shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward . . . Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Matt 6:2, 5, 16)
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the more out of thy brother's eye. (Matt 7:5)
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matt 7:22-23)
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship e, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matt 15:7-9)
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering, O Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times (Matt 16:3)
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? (Matt 22:18)
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men . . . . Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous . . . (Matt 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29, 33)
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 24:48-51)
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 25:28-30)
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matt 25:41, 46)
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)
Other instances could be given, but consider the book of Revelation, which is a revelation from Jesus himself (cf. Rev 1:1)
But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and the murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8)
Of course, I do see some trying to latch unto John 3:16, but such ignores the context. See my post, Particularity in John 3:16.
The apostles themselves were not as “PC” and were quick to condemn heresy and deviations from the truth of the Gospel:
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh to preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Cor 11:3-4)
For such are false apostles, deceitful works, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Cor 11:13-15)
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from hi that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel. Which is not another:; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before so, say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you that that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:6-9)
There are many other texts one could point to which shows that Ryan Thomas is dead-wrong in trying to claim Christ; however, the words of the author of Hebrews against those who, like Thomas, abandon the truth of the gospel and now are enemies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are both á propos and rather sobering:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Heb 6:4-6)
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy unto two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an holy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Heb 10:26-29)
As an aside, LDS apologist Jeff Lindsay has a two-part response to Ryan Thomas' arguments against the Arabian Peninsula geography for Book of Mormon historicity:
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Map, Part 1 of 2
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Map, Part 2 of 2
